To support a long-term NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) for sustainable management and conservation of coral reef ecosystems, from 16 October - 14 November 2008, reef fish assessment surveys were conducted, as a part of Rapid Ecological Assessments (REA), during the Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (RAMP) Cruise OES0810 in the Main Hawaiian Islands at biennial intervals by the Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED) at the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC). During the cruise, 1 REA sites were surveyed at Five Fathom Pinnacle in the Main Hawaiian Islands. At the specific REA sites, fish biologists along with coral biologists, algal biologists and marine invertebrate zoologist entered the water and conducted a fine-scale (~300 m2) and high degree of taxonomic resolution REA survey to assess and monitor species composition, abundance, percent cover, size distribution, diversity, and general health of fish, corals, macro-invertebrates, and algae in shallow-water (< 35 m) habitats. Reef fish assessment surveys were focused on cataloging the diversity (species richness), abundance (numeric density [# fish 100 m-2] and biomass density [kg 100 m-2]) of diurnally active reef fish assemblages. Three complementary noninvasive underwater survey methods were used, including belt-transect, stationary point count, and roving-diver surveys. For all methods, fish were identified at the species level, when possible, and assigned to a size bin ranging from 1 to 200 cm based on a visual estimate of total fish length. Belt-transect (BLT) surveys were used to quantify the entire diurnal fish community (all size classes). In belt-transect surveys, two fish biologists swam side-by-side along three consecutively-placed, 25m transect lines. The BLT team swam each transect two times. During the initial swim-out, each fish diver recorded all fish larger than 20 cm observed within a 4-m wide belt perpendicular to their respective side of the transect (200 m2 area per line, 100 m2 per diver). On the return swim, each fish diver recorded all fish less than 20 cm observed within a 2-m wide belt (100 m2 area per line, 50 m2 per diver). The survey of large fish took approximately 5 min to complete while the survey of smaller fish took about 10 min to complete. All reef-associated fish, including those in the water column (including planktivores), were counted. Any coastal pelagic species (e.g., clupeids [sardines], belonids [beakfish], antherinids [silversides]) seen near the surface were not recorded. The stationary point count (SPC) method were used to quantify larger, more mobile reef fish species that can be missed on belt-transect surveys. In stationary point count survey, a fish biologist swam approximately 15 m away from a transect line concurrently being surveyed by the other two BLT fish biologists. The SPC biologist then recorded all fish greater than 25 cm in length that passed within a visually estimated 20-m diameter cylinder centered on the diver's fixed position (10-m radius, total area = 314 m2). The survey time for each stationary point count survey was 5 min and a total of four stationary point count surveys were conducted at each REA site. Roving-diver surveys were followed belt-transect and stationary point count surveys. As diver bottom time permitted, the fish assessment team conducted random swim surveys throughout the REA site area, recording, to the species level or the lowest recognizable taxon, the presence of reef fish not encountered during previous methods.
Part of a long-term monitoring program at biennial intervals which documents the state of the reefs.
Maximum depth was 26 meters. Fish species observed: Year Region Island Species TaxonName 2008 MHI Five Fathom ABVA Abudefduf vaigiensis 2008 MHI Five Fathom ACAC Acanthurus achilles 2008 MHI Five Fathom ACNF Acanthurus nigrofuscus 2008 MHI Five Fathom ACNR Acanthurus nigroris 2008 MHI Five Fathom ACOL Acanthurus olivaceus 2008 MHI Five Fathom APFU Aphareus furca 2008 MHI Five Fathom APAR Apolemichthys arcuatus 2008 MHI Five Fathom BOBI Bodianus bilunulatus 2008 MHI Five Fathom CACA Calotomus carolinus 2008 MHI Five Fathom CADU Cantherhines dumerilii 2008 MHI Five Fathom CASA Cantherhines sandwichiensis 2008 MHI Five Fathom CAJA Canthigaster jactator 2008 MHI Five Fathom CAME Caranx melampygus 2008 MHI Five Fathom CAAB Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos 2008 MHI Five Fathom CEPO Centropyge potteri 2008 MHI Five Fathom CHKL Chaetodon kleinii 2008 MHI Five Fathom CHLU Chaetodon lunula 2008 MHI Five Fathom CHMI Chaetodon miliaris 2008 MHI Five Fathom CHMU Chaetodon multicinctus 2008 MHI Five Fathom CHOR Chaetodon ornatissimus 2008 MHI Five Fathom CHQU Chaetodon quadrimaculatus 2008 MHI Five Fathom CHOV Chromis ovalis 2008 MHI Five Fathom CHVA Chromis vanderbilti 2008 MHI Five Fathom CIFA Cirrhitops fasciatus 2008 MHI Five Fathom COGA Coris gaimard 2008 MHI Five Fathom CTHA Ctenochaetus hawaiiensis 2008 MHI Five Fathom DAAL Dascyllus albisella 2008 MHI Five Fathom FOFL Forcipiger flavissimus 2008 MHI Five Fathom HAOR Halichoeres ornatissimus 2008 MHI Five Fathom HEPO Hemitaurichthys polylepis 2008 MHI Five Fathom HETH Hemitaurichthys thompsoni 2008 MHI Five Fathom HEDI Heniochus diphreutes 2008 MHI Five Fathom LAPH Labroides phthirophagus 2008 MHI Five Fathom LUKA Lutjanus kasmira 2008 MHI Five Fathom MABR Malacanthus brevirostris 2008 MHI Five Fathom MENI Melichthys niger 2008 MHI Five Fathom MEVI Melichthys vidua 2008 MHI Five Fathom MOGR Monotaxis grandoculis 2008 MHI Five Fathom MYBE Myripristis berndti 2008 MHI Five Fathom NABR Naso brevirostris 2008 MHI Five Fathom NAHE Naso hexacanthus 2008 MHI Five Fathom NALI Naso lituratus 2008 MHI Five Fathom NONE no individuals seen 2008 MHI Five Fathom OSME Ostracion meleagris 2008 MHI Five Fathom PAAR Paracirrhites arcatus 2008 MHI Five Fathom PAFO Paracirrhites forsteri 2008 MHI Five Fathom PAIN Parupeneus insularis 2008 MHI Five Fathom PAMU Parupeneus multifasciatus 2008 MHI Five Fathom PLJO Plectroglyphidodon johnstonianus 2008 MHI Five Fathom PSBI Pseudanthias bicolor 2008 MHI Five Fathom PSTE Pseudocheilinus tetrataenia 2008 MHI Five Fathom SCRU Scarus rubroviolaceus 2008 MHI Five Fathom SPBA Sphyraena barracuda 2008 MHI Five Fathom STBA Stethojulis balteata 2008 MHI Five Fathom SUBU Sufflamen bursa 2008 MHI Five Fathom SUFR Sufflamen fraenatum 2008 MHI Five Fathom THDU Thalassoma duperrey 2008 MHI Five Fathom XAAU Xanthichthys auromarginatus 2008 MHI Five Fathom ZACO Zanclus cornutus 2008 MHI Five Fathom ZEFL Zebrasoma flavescens
Ground condition
Please cite CRED when using the data. Coral Reef Ecosystem Division, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NOAA IRC
NMFS/PIFSC/CRED
1845 WASP Blvd., Building 176
e-mail preferred
"Marc Nadon, Kostantinos Stamoulis, Marie Ferguson, Kevin O'Brien", Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED), Pacific Islands Fisheries Sciences Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA
Observations at each site were made by three divers who are experts in fish taxonomy. The team of three REA fish divers rotated roles with two divers performing belt-transect surveys and one diver performing stationary point counts at each survey site. Observations were periodically checked during the expedition for consistency between divers, and little discrepancy was ever noted between divers. It should be noted, however, that this data set is quite large, and probably includes typographical or other errors that might be discovered at a future date.
The same methods of data collection were used at each of the sites surveyed at this location, and were conducted by the same scientists. Periodic examination of the data through the duration of the trip showed no signs of diver bias or other discrepancies.
The survey sites were selected to be representative of the coral reef habitats at this reef system. Efforts were made to include broad spatial coverage of the reef area, but weather conditions or other environmental constraints may have precluded the team from surveying windward or exposed sites.
GPS unit
Instrument parameters
Dive computer and SCUBA depth gauge
REA surveys are investigations that provide a high degree of taxonomic resolution for coral, algae, other macroinvertebrate, and reef fish communities. The surveys were conducted using a combination of dive teams which generally included a two to three person fish team, a two person coral/coral disease team, and a combined team of two algae biologists and one macroinvertebrate biologist. The majority of REA surveys were conducted along the forereef slopes of individual islands at depths between 10 and 20 m. However, additional surveyed habitats included a lagoonal-type patch reef and offshore oceanic banks. During REA surveys, biological assessment teams follow highly structured protocols that are repeated at each REA site. Upon arrival at an REA site, three teams of divers enter the water over spaced time intervals. The fish team firstly enters the water and deploys a 25-m transect line. Two of the fish divers begin to survey along that transect while the remaining fish diver begins stationary point count assessments in the general vicinity. After approximately 20 min, the coral team enters the water and begins to work along the first transect line. By this time the fish team has deployed and begun surveys along a second 25-m transect. About 10 min later, the algal/invertebrate team enters the water and begins surveying the first transect. In total, the fish team surveys three transects at each site (transects 1, 2, and 3), and the coral and algal/invertebrate teams survey transects 1 and 2. The sampling effort takes between 60 and 80 min to complete. The selection of REA sites was made in close consultation with Coral Reef Advisory Group (CRAG) and local agencies. Factors considered during REA site selection included: (1) ensuring a range of sample sites representative of the benthic and reef fish habitats around each island; (2) selecting a mixture of sites within and outside of marine protected areas; (3) selecting a mixture of both 'impacted' and 'least impacted' sites; (4) selecting some sites adjacent to local villages, and (5) selecting a number of sites that could be compared to and complement previous assessment and monitoring work as well as future coral reef monitoring proposed by CRAG and local agencies. It is important to note that access to REA sites can be limited by wave exposure, weather conditions, and other environmental factors such as currents, which can affect the ability to resurvey sites between years. Transect placement was guided by: (1) a focus on hard-bottom communities; (2) deploying lines along an isobath to the extent possible at each site, and (3) laying the transect lines into the prevailing current.
While every effort has been made to ensure that these data are accurate and reliable within the limits of the current state of the art, NOAA cannot assume liability for any damages caused by errors or omissions in the data, nor as a result of the failure of the data to function on a particular system. NOAA makes no warranty, expressed or implied, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty.
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